Isetan Department Store, Kyoto Station

This liquor store in the 1st Basement of Isetan Department store is a convenient place to get beer and sake in Kyoto. If you’re heading off on a train from here, stop in and pick some up. They really get good sake here.

Small liquor shop in the basement of Isetan Department Store at Kyoto Station. Selection of some Kyoto craft brews (Kyoto Machiya, Syuzan Kaido, Kizakura) and a few others (Kinshachi and Karuizawa), which are not the easiest beers to find -- but none of which are really worth seeking out. At the time of my visit, they also had several from Celt, but at pretty high prices. Takes a little time to find it among the crowded food stalls. This place is a better source for wine and sake than beer.

This place carries 2 of the 4 local breweries (Kyoto Machiya & Kizakura Kappa Country) but has their full ranger including the Kizakura Egyptian beer line & a Kyoto Machiya-Isetan collaboration beer. It also has a range of world beers (mostly macrobrews) with a couple of belgians and a few things I haven’t seen before (Haneda beer & Celt). Prices are ok but finding the place is kind of annoying as the basement is somewhat maze like and it is back in a corner in one of the basements. Service is good as you’d expect from a large Japanese Department store. ------------update------------- I dropped by today as I happened to be on the same floor and while the Kyoto micros were still there and a few canned craft beers the selection went WAY down in variety it is not mostly generic "world beers" not worth it beyond the kyoto beers... -----Aug. 1st 2013 update----- Well they have now reorganized everything and have a great selection of Japanese craft beer with Hitachino Nest, Minami Shinshu, some Kyoto Beers & for some odd reason a ton from Hokkaido while the selection of foreign beers has gone down.. ----Feb 2014---- As maekchu stated, most of the beer is now Karuizawa’s substandard beers, a large amount of Kyoto beers though the variety went down. I work nearby so pop in for a look as it seems to change on an almost monthly basis. Usually this places score should be 50-60, depending on the selection they have when you visit. As you can see from my rating it is quite variable. The easiest way to find it is go down one level from the JR central exit, go through the souvenir shops/stands on the left into Isetan, take the little halfway on the right to get to the liquor section.

Stopped in while staying in Kyoto. This place is a quick walk from were I am staying. Nothing to crazy but looks like a good selection of local craft stuff and a few imp. Lots of Sake and other stuff.

The liquor section of the department store has some rare Japanese beers and some exclusives too. I went here periodically to check if there was anything new but most of the selection stayed the same. About 20 Kyoto Beers. Sometimes the foreign beers change a little

Pretty good selection of macro beers - I got about 2 ratings from the place.....